Second Hand Waitress

It had already been three hours since they say down and a few discussions being carried out in the room, and Kira was already bored, she had also started feeling number in her knees due to the uncomfortable position.

Kira rubbed her knee under the table, hoping the sensation would return to her legs soon. Her knee, however, was another matter, it throbbed with a dull ache, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that she might have injured it. Still, she forced a smile and picked up the bottle of beer in front of her, holding it up toward Ms. Marita.

“Would it be okay if I poured for you?” she asked politely.

Pouring drinks for those near you was a traditional custom, and Kira wanted to avoid offending anyone. A man on her right, someone she didn’t recognize, offered to refill her glass with a grin. Though Kira disliked beer, she nodded politely, watching him carefully add just enough to top it off. She realized keeping track of her drinks in this setting would be almost impossible and dreaded the idea of getting too tipsy.

The gathering quickly turned lively. What had started as a formal business dinner transformed into a boisterous, cheerful scene. Men who had seemed stoic earlier now crawled around the floor, chatting loudly and pouring drinks for one another.

She noticed that many of the men gravitated toward Tesah, eager to fill his glass and engage him in conversation. He managed to stay composed and professional, yet he wore an air of polite camaraderie. Kira doubted the cheerfulness was entirely genuine.

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Some of the younger men directed their attention to Kira, testing their English as they made conversation. Kira smiled and pushed past the discomfort in her knee, even laughing as she clumsily tried a few Medina phrases she had picked up. The men seemed overly impressed with her effort, showering her with compliments, which she modestly brushed off, remembering earlier advice about Medina people's humility.

As Kira scanned the room, she realized Ms. Marita had disappeared. Expecting to find her near Tesah, Kira was surprised to see her chatting with Mr Craig, the contractor. Their interaction was unmistakably flirtatious, and Craig appeared to be enjoying it.

When Kira turned back toward Tesah, she found him watching her intently. His expression was unreadable, almost stern, and it made her shift uncomfortably in her seat. She tried to dismiss the moment with a casual wave, but Tesah’s focus didn’t waver. Finally, he broke eye contact, turning his attention back to the men clamoring for his attention. Relieved, Kira gave her knee a quick massage and redirected her attention to one of the younger men who had started speaking to her.

The night dragged on, and by 2 a.m., Kira was exhausted. The group had moved through several nightspots, and now they were enthusiastically proposing karaoke.

“I need to get back to the hotel,” Kira whispered to Tesah, who, unlike the others, seemed remarkably sober. She briefly wondered how he managed that before his sharp glare broke her train of thought.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he replied firmly.

Her patience was wearing thin, and the throbbing in her knee made her even more irritable. “This isn’t part of my job, Tesah. You don’t need me here.”

“You’re expected to join me for business events,” he countered.

“That wasn’t in my contract,” she pointed out.

Tesah hesitated before softening his tone. “Then come along as a personal favor. As my…” He trailed off, clearly struggling to find the right word.

“As your girlfriend?” Kira asked with a raised brow.

“Definitely not,” Tesah replied, horrified.

“Mistress?” she teased, watching his face pale further.

“No.” He took a breath before adding, “As my friend.”

“Are we friends?”

“In a way.”

“Then do me a favor and let me rest. I’m tired, and my knee is killing me.”

Tesah’s eyes narrowed. “You’re in pain?”

“It’s just my knee. It’s been bothering me,” she admitted reluctantly.

“Is that why you’ve been limping since the first restaurant?”

Kira blinked in surprise. He had noticed? She thought she had hidden it well.

Before she could respond, one of the men called out, “Clover-san, are you joining us?”

“Give me a minute,” Tesah replied sharply, his eyes never leaving Kira.

Kira stood with her arms crossed, shifting her weight onto her good leg to avoid aggravating her injured knee. Tesah noticed her stance immediately and pointed toward her knee.

"Explain this," he demanded, his tone sharp but curious.

Kira sighed. "It’s nothing. I have a weak knee, and sitting in that traditional position just made it act up a little."

Tesah swore under his breath in what sounded like three different languages. Running a frustrated hand through his hair, he eventually asked, "What’s wrong with it?"

Kira rolled her eyes impatiently. "You’ve seen every inch of me this past week. I figured you’d have noticed the big scar on my knee."

He hesitated before admitting, "I saw the scar. I just didn’t realize it might have weakened your knee. To be honest, you move so well, better than most. I never thought it could be an issue."

Kira flushed, memories of their recent escapades flashing in her mind. The way they had challenged both her flexibility and his strength left her warm with embarrassment. Shaking off the memory, she replied, "It’s not a problem most of the time, but sitting like that pushed it too far."

"How long ago did it happen?" Tesah asked, his voice softer now, though the effort to sound interested was evident.

" A year ago," she said with a faint, wry smile. "It was an accident. Surgery followed, and that’s all there is to it."

Tesah watched her silently for a long moment before shrugging. "Fine. Let’s head back to the hotel."

Kira blinked at him, surprised. "You don’t have to leave just because of me. I’ll manage."

He arched a brow, his tone almost teasing. "I’m suddenly feeling a bit tired myself."

"Tired?" she echoed, suspicious.

• His lips curved into a sly smile. "Well, tired-ish. I might catch my second wind when we’re back at the hotel."

Of course, she thought. And he sure did it.